Watch-Paper Prints

Having never heard the term before, I was fascinated to discover that watch-paper prints were originally designed as simple protective inserts, but later served as early examples of creative 'media' placement in the late 18th century. Currently my new obsession...

All via BibliOdyssey

Through the Looking Glass (XXXI)

Eastern State Penitentiary III, Cell Block Three by Katherine Westerhout

Bunny's Greenhouse...

(Mellon, that is). To me, this is the ultimate in luxury - a room devoted to all things botanical, the real specimens just narrowly eclipsed by the trompe l’oeil murals by Fernand Renard...

 Read more here

Industrial Strength - Part II

Remember last week's posting featuring a photograph of the West Orange Laboratories Heavy Machine Shop. Turns out, this remarkable place was none other than Thomas Edison's laboratory, which was moved to the town of West Orange in New Jersey in 1887. For the next 44 years, the "Invention Factory" served as a model for modern development laboratories. Amazingly enough, the New Jersey urban sprawl has almost concealed this historic site, but the brick buildings contain the story of one of the most prolific inventors of our time...

Precision Machine Shop

Chemistry Lab Building

Chemistry Lab Building

Heavy Machine Shop

Supply Room

Images via here, here and here

Love is in the Air

While I find the commercial aspect of Valentine's Day so desperately kitch, I do hope that most of you will have a romantic evening somewhere wonderful - not unlike the gem in this photograph...

Caffe Florian, Venice via Dustjacketattic

YSL

What a talent, and really rather attractive...

Via here (last photograph: RDA/Getty Images) and here

Xavier Veilhan's show at Versailles

A few years ago, the artist Xavier Veilhan staged a rather extraordinary exhibition of his work around the gardens and inside the main chateau of Versailles. Here is Todd Selby's take on the spectacle (including some interior shots of the splendor)...

Read more here and here